Coherent detection of terahertz radiation with non-resonant antennas

We present a novel scalable photoconductive THz detection antenna. Compared to electro-optic sampling, photoconductive antennas can be integrated more easily into compact THz setups, e.g. by using substrate lenses and by coupling to optical fibers. However, since the antenna gap of typical THz detection antennas is only a few µm wide, the alignment of photoconductive antennas is not simple and the possibility to move the antenna is limited. Here we report on a THz system consisting of a scalable THz emitter based on an interdigitated electrode structure [1] and a detection antenna with similar electrode geometry. While the THz emitter is fabricated on SI-GaAs substrate, various materials with short carrier lifetimes are used for the detection antenna. Detection antennas based on LT-GaAs and GaAs implanted with As+ (dual-energy implants, 1 MeV and 2.4 MeV, doses in the range from 1013 cm-2 to 1016 cm-2) and N+ (dual-energy implants, 0.4 MeV and 0.9 MeV, doses in the range from 1012 cm-2 to 1014 cm-2) are compared. The strongest detected signals are found for As+ implantations with a dose in the 1014 cm-2 range. A comparison with electro-optic sampling indicates that the carrier lifetime in this material is of the order of 0.4 ps. Furthermore the dependence of the detected signal on the gating laser power and the spot size of the gating beam were studied and optimum conditions are discussed. The antenna is suitable for detection of THz radiation which is not focussed to a spot of the order of the THz wavelength. We demonstrate this by showing the frequency resolved beam profile of an unfocussed THz beam. In conclusion, the scalable antennas constitute an efficient, easy-to-use, symmetric emitter-detector pair.
[1] A. Dreyhaupt, S. Winnerl, T. Dekorsy, and M. Helm, Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 121114 (2005).